Everything you need to know about the next 'Star Wars' movie, 'Rogue One'

We're less than five months away from the premiere of "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" and anxiously awaiting the film's release.

Disney offered the first glimpse at the movie with the first official teaser trailer for the standalone film back in April, but since then, the film has undergone some reshoots.

Taking place before the events of the 1977 original film, "Rogue One" follows Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and a group of Rebel fighters on a mission to steal plans for the Death Star. The movie hits theaters December 16.

The film is the first in the "Star Wars Anthology," a series of standalone films, which will include movies dedicated to Han Solo and bounty hunter Boba Fett.

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Gareth Edwards, known for the 2014 "Godzilla" reboot, will direct the film.

Gareth Edwards on the set of "Godzilla."Kimberley French/Warner Bros.

The script was written by Chris Weitz ("About a Boy"), based on an idea from visual-effects supervisor John Knoll. Gary Whitta ("After Earth") was originally hired to write the screenplay, but he left the project after writing the first draft.

The film will take place before the events of 1977's original "Star Wars" film, also known as "A New Hope," and focuses on a group of Rebel fighters who attempt to steal the plans for the Empire's newest weapon, the Death Star.

Knoll got the idea from a line in the opening crawl of "A New Hope." The line reads: "During the battle, rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire's ultimate weapon, the Death Star." He always wanted the lead to be a woman.

Tony Gilroy, who wrote the screenplays for the "Bourne" trilogy, has contributed notes and wrote some more dialogue for the film.

Felicity Jones will be a Rebel soldier and was the first person cast in the film. The rest of the cast was announced during Disney's D23 expo and includes Riz Ahmed, Diego Luna, Jiang Wen, Ben Mendelsohn, Forest Whitaker, Mads Mikkelsen, Donnie Yen, and Alan Tudyk.

In the trailer, Jones' character is introduced as Jyn Erso. Her introduction includes a list of crimes she has committed. After being detained by the Rebellion, she is recruited to fight against the Empire.

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She's been on her own since she was 15. When described as "reckless, aggressive, and undisciplined," she responds, "This is a rebellion, isn't it? I rebel." Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy calls her a "Joan of Arc."

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The person she meets with is none other than Mon Mothma, the political leader from "Return of the Jedi."

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Diego Luna plays Captain Cassian Andor, a Rebel intelligence officer who will work closely with Erso.

Donnie Yen is Chirrut Imwe, a blind warrior devoted to the ways of the Jedi, even though at this point, they are "pretty much extinct." Kennedy says he "falls into the category of being a warrior monk."

Mads Mikkelsen plays Jyn's estranged father, Galen Erso. He's a nuclear scientist wanted by both the Empire and the Rebellion. He's not seen in the trailer.

Ben Mendelsohn plays Director Orson Krennic, an Imperial officer who strives to rise alongside Emperor Palpatine and is in charge of protecting the Death Star project. He is the main villain in "Rogue One," and feels slightly threatened by Darth Vader.

Forest Whitaker's character has been revealed to be none other than Saw Gerrera, a warrior from "The Clone Wars" animated series. Kennedy described him as a "kind of a battered veteran who leads a band of Rebel extremists." New photos show him with a full head of hair.